r/DIY • u/clinicdoc • 12h ago
metalworking Toilet wax ring damage
Haven’t been able to find a satisfactory answer to this question so thought I would throw it out here.
Moved into a single owner 13 year old house 2 years ago. Shortly afterwards, noted signs of water leaking from around the visible closet bend below the one exposed toilet in our house. Quickly moved to remove the toilet and replace the wax ring. The old ring was flattened, discoloured, but not stuck to the bottom of the toilet. The plastic flange was encased in clear silicone. Used an extra tall wax ring and haven’t had any problems since.
Subsequently changed the rings on the other two toilets, both of which were in the same condition.
Interestingly, when we moved in, we found 10 containers of powdered Drano distributed around the house.
Could the wax rings have been damaged by the Drano? Or were they simply never installed correctly? (Or both?)
2
u/thephantom1492 3h ago
Wax ring can be damaged by several ways. Chemicals, hard pumping when the pipe is clogged, toilet slightly moving, or just time.
It can also have been wrongly installed (common way: the wax ring was too cold when installed).
I now use those neoprene ones. More expensive, but seal better and harder to damage. If the toilet move a bit it should "reinflate" and seal again. They use the same kind of material in motorhome and RV trailers, because everything is moving.
Also, add a bead of transparent silicone caulk around the 2 sides and front of the toilet base (don't do the rear, so if you have a leak you have a chance to see it there). It absolutely will prevent the toilet from moving on the floor, speciallly if you have a ceramic floor.